PARIS: As the parade of nations cruised along the River Seine under the Paris sky on Friday, the Malaysian contingent was represented by six athletes and four officials at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
They were attired in the golden-hued Malaya, a collection designed by Rizman Ruzaini as a stunning embodiment of the country's heritage and cultural pride.
Led by flag bearers, diver Bertrand Rhodict Lises and sailor Nur Shazrin Latif, the contingent exuded elegance and confidence as they meandered along the six-kilometre route on the Seine, between the Austerlitz and the Iena bridges, before a grand finale at the Trocadero, with laser beams from the Eiffel Tower shining over the flotilla.
Throughout the route, the athletes were immersed in the emblematic scenery and historical monuments of Paris.
Nur Dhabitah Sabri (diving), Khairulnizam Afendy (sailing), Ashley Lau (golf), and Tan Rouxin (swimming), the youngest member of the 26-member contingent, were among the select few wearing the glamorous costume.
Accompanying Datuk Hamidin Amin as the Chef de Mission on the boat were deputy CDM Datuk Nicol David, chief medical officer Dr Jasmiza Khuzairi Jasme, and safeguarding officer Ang Li Peng.
Nur Shazrin, a gold medallist at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, who is looking forward to her third appearance at the Olympics, and her fellow female athletes appeared resplendent in the songket-patterned Baju Kurung with flowing headscarves. Rhodict, a debutant, and Khairulnizam, bidding to compete in his fourth Olympics, were dressed in Baju Melayu Teluk Belanga, paired with songkok and sampin.
In a flotilla of 85 boats of various sizes, the contingent emerged as the No. 112 team in the procession, appearing with the delegations from Malawi and the Maldives on the same boat.
Due to the open-air concept and strict security measures imposed by the organisers, the contingent was restricted to 10 members as the ceremony was held before an audience of heads of state, dignitaries, and sporting leaders from all over the world.
Only a limited number of athletes from Malaysia were available due to the tight competition schedule, with Nur Shazrin and Khairulnizam travelling from Marseille to be part of the contingent.
Also present at the ceremony were Youth and Sports deputy minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria, and secretary-general Datuk Nazifuddin Najib.
On Saturday, Malaysian athletes in action include badminton's Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei at the Porte de La Chapelle, shooter Johnathan Wong in the men's 10m air pistol at Chateauroux and swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean in the men's 400m freestyle at the Paris La Defense Arena.